System and method for validating camera calibration in a vision system
First Claim
1. A system for validating calibration of at least one camera in a vision system that images a volume space within a field of view thereof operatively connected to a processor comprising:
- a calibration process performed during vision system set up that generates and stores camera calibration parameters and result statistics based upon calibration images of a first calibration object, the calibration images being captured by the at least one camera during the vision system set up, the first calibration object having a known pattern and dimensions acquired at at least one position within the volume space, the calibration process computing, during the vision system set up, a set of calibration discrepancies between positions of extracted calibration features from the calibration images within the field of view and predicted positions expected of the known pattern of the first calibration object;
a validation process that, during runtime system operation and subsequent to the calibration process, based on the camera calibration parameters and the result statistics,(a) acquires at least one validation image of the first calibration object or a second calibration object having a known pattern and dimensions, (b) extracts validation features of the at least one validation image of the first calibration object or the second calibration object, (c) predicts positions expected of validation features of the first calibration object or the second calibration object using the camera calibration parameters from the calibration images acquired during the calibration process, and (d) computes a set of validation discrepancies between positions of the extracted validation features and the predicted positions of the validation features; and
wherein the validation process is constructed and arranged to determine whether at least one of the set of calibration discrepancies or at least one of the set of validation discrepancies exceeds an acceptance threshold associated therewith.
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Abstract
This invention provides a system and method to validate the accuracy of camera calibration in a single or multiple-camera embodiment, utilizing either 2D cameras or 3D imaging sensors. It relies upon an initial calibration process that generates and stores camera calibration parameters and residual statistics based upon images of a first calibration object. A subsequent validation process (a) acquires images of the first calibration object or a second calibration object having a known pattern and dimensions; (b) extracts features of the images of the first calibration object or the second calibration object; (c) predicts positions expected of features of the first calibration object or the second calibration object using the camera calibration parameters; and (d) computes a set of discrepancies between positions of the extracted features and the predicted positions of the features. The validation process then uses the computed set of discrepancies in a decision process that determines whether at least one of the discrepancies exceeds a predetermined threshold value. If so, recalibration is required. Where multiple cameras are employed, extrinsic parameters are determined and used in conjunction with the intrinsics.
106 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for validating calibration of at least one camera in a vision system that images a volume space within a field of view thereof operatively connected to a processor comprising:
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a calibration process performed during vision system set up that generates and stores camera calibration parameters and result statistics based upon calibration images of a first calibration object, the calibration images being captured by the at least one camera during the vision system set up, the first calibration object having a known pattern and dimensions acquired at at least one position within the volume space, the calibration process computing, during the vision system set up, a set of calibration discrepancies between positions of extracted calibration features from the calibration images within the field of view and predicted positions expected of the known pattern of the first calibration object; a validation process that, during runtime system operation and subsequent to the calibration process, based on the camera calibration parameters and the result statistics, (a) acquires at least one validation image of the first calibration object or a second calibration object having a known pattern and dimensions, (b) extracts validation features of the at least one validation image of the first calibration object or the second calibration object, (c) predicts positions expected of validation features of the first calibration object or the second calibration object using the camera calibration parameters from the calibration images acquired during the calibration process, and (d) computes a set of validation discrepancies between positions of the extracted validation features and the predicted positions of the validation features; and wherein the validation process is constructed and arranged to determine whether at least one of the set of calibration discrepancies or at least one of the set of validation discrepancies exceeds an acceptance threshold associated therewith. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for validating calibration of at least one camera in a vision system that images a volume space within a field of view thereof operatively connected to a processor comprising:
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(a) generating and storing, in a calibration process performed during vision system setup, calibration parameters and result statistics based upon calibration images of a first calibration object, the calibration images being captured by the at least one camera during the vision system setup, the first calibration object having a known pattern and dimensions acquired at at least one position within the volume space, the calibration process computing, during the vision system setup, a set of calibration discrepancies between positions of extracted calibration features from the calibration images within the field of view and the predicted positions expected of the known pattern of the first calibration object; (b) in a validation process, performed during runtime system operation and subsequent to the calibration process, acquiring at least one validation image of either the first calibration object or a second calibration object having a known pattern and dimensions; (c) extracting validation features of the at least one validation image of the first calibration object or the second calibration object; (d) predicting positions expected of validation features of the first calibration object or the second calibration object using the camera calibration parameters from the calibration images acquired during the calibration process; (e) computing a set of validation discrepancies between positions of the extracted validation features and the predicted positions of the validation features; and (f) determining whether at least one of the set of calibration discrepancies or at least one of the set of validation discrepancies exceeds an acceptance threshold associated therewith. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for validating calibration of at least one camera in a vision system that images a volume space within a field of view thereof operatively connected to a vision processor comprising:
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a calibration process that, during vision system setup, generates and stores (i) original intrinsic parameters based upon calibration images of a first calibration object having a known pattern and dimensions acquired at a plurality of positions within the volume space within the field of view and (ii) original feature correspondences with respect to the calibration images of the first calibration object; a validation process that, during runtime system operation and subsequent to the calibration process, (a) acquires at least one validation image of either the first calibration object or a second calibration object the same as, or with a pattern and dimensions substantially identical to, the first calibration object (b) extracts validation features of the at least one validation image of the first calibration object or the second calibration object and determines new feature correspondence between extracted validation features and known features of the first calibration object or the second calibration object, (c) generates and stores new intrinsic parameters based upon the stored original calibration feature correspondences from the calibration images acquired by the at least one camera during the calibration process and the new feature correspondences, and (d) computes a set of discrepancies with respect to the new intrinsic parameters relative to the original intrinsic parameters; and wherein the validation process is constructed and arranged to determine whether at least one of the discrepancies exceeds a predetermined value associated therewith, and if the at least one of the discrepancies exceeds the predetermined threshold to indicate a recalibration requirement. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A method for validating calibration of at least one camera in a vision system that images a scene within volume space within a field of view thereof operatively connected to a processor comprising:
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(a) in a calibration process performed during vision system setup by providing a calibration image and associated calibration parameters and result statistics including calibration discrepancies between positions of extracted predetermined features from the calibration images and the predicted positions expected of the features within the field of view and associated with calibration using a calibration object, the calibration object being located in the scene at a known and repeatable position in the scene, the calibration image being captured by the at least one camera during the vision system setup; and (b) in a validation process performed during runtime system operation and subsequent to the calibration process, (i) acquiring a validation image of the calibration object at the known and repeatable position, (ii) computing, from the validation image, image positions based upon the calibration parameters from the calibration images acquired during the calibration process and validation discrepancies of the predetermined features of the calibration object, and (iii) determining whether the validation discrepancies remain within a predetermined acceptance threshold with respect to the calibration discrepancies. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification